The Social (Re)Construction of ‘Urfi Marriage Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Shahreena Shahrani, B.A. Graduate Program in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures The Ohio State University 2010 Thesis Committee: Sabra Webber, Ph.D., Advisor Morgan Liu, Ph.D. Copyright by Shahreena Shahrani 2010 Abstract In the past, ‘urfi marriage was used to describe all social and religious marriages in Egyptian society. However, when Egypt imposed the requirement for marriage registration, in 1931, it created a rupture between the established culture and modern laws, rendering the traditional definition of ‘urfi marriage obsolete. Since the late twentieth century, ‘urfi marriage has been re-imagined as a viable alternative to legal marriage by those who find the modern marriage tradition socially or financially unviable. This study seeks to understand the complexities in reconstructing and redefining ‘urfi marriage and ponders whether this contemporary social practice (in one or more variations) will one day become fully accepted in Egyptian society. In order to accomplish this, I draw on Berger and Luckmann’s classical work on the social construction of reality to shed light on how various popular discourses—film, blogs, legal discourse, television and others—interrogate the category of ‘urfi, contest its definition as deviant, and seek to unpack the on-going social negotiation surrounding its multiple and conflicting meanings in order to understand why it has re-emerged and gained legitimacy among many segments of society. Like my research into the treatment of ‘urfi and related topics as obliquely presented through the artistic medium of film, “field research” of online resources also allowed me to gain a broader understanding of the perceptions, meanings, and ideas associated with marriage as well ii as of the current practices of ‘urfi marriage, often considered a taboo topic, by varied segments of Egyptian society. Because marriage is such a powerful icon for “coming of age” in Egypt, in the end, this debate on what form(s) of ‘urfi marriage will emerge as acceptable will have far reaching repercussions on other complex, intertwined issues such as individual freedom, adulthood, familial and societal duties, individual choice in marriage, hereditary rights, ethics of medical science, morality, and, especially the relevance and the integration of young adults in contemporary and future Egyptian society. iii Dedication Dedicated to Richard A. Lott II and his wife Courtney J. Williams. Their passing is a loss to us all. Their memory inspires those who knew them. iv Acknowledgment I would like to acknowledge the guidance and effort put forth by my advisor Sabra Webber, Ph.D. and my thesis committee member Morgan Liu, Ph.D. who have both dedicated many hours to the success of this endeavor. Their assistance helped to guide me through the academic maze of this project. I would also like to extend a special thanks to Mahdi Alosh, Ph.D. who has played a key role in nurturing my love of Arabic languages and cultures. Also, I thank all of the professors and instructors who have helped me expand my linguistic and cultural abilities through the years of my studies. Without all of their support, my many adventures in this field would never have been possible. I look forward to working with such great minds and personalities in the future. Lastly, I would like to thank my husband for dedicating many hours to editing my work, for supporting me during my studies abroad, and for keeping me well fed throughout this endeavor. v Vita May 1999……………………B.A. French and Political Science, Denison University June 2007……………………Critical Language Scholarship, Yemen September 2007-June 2008….Graduate Teaching Associate, Arabic, The Ohio State University June 2008-May 2009………...Center for Arabic Studies Abroad Fellow, Cairo, Egypt September 2007-Present…….Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship, Arabic, The Ohio State University Field of Study Major Field: Near Eastern Languages and Cultures vi Table of Contents Abstract……………………………………………………………...................ii Dedication…………………………………………………………...................iv Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………. v Vita……………………………………………………………......................... vi Table of Contents………………………………………………….................... vii Introduction: “What is ‘Urfi Marriage?”……..………...................................... 1 Chapter 1: Defining Social Construction...………….………………………… 7 Chapter 2: Historical, Linguistic Definition of ‘Urfi Marriage.........………..... 14 Chapter 3: Historical and Social Context of ‘Urfi Marriage..……………........ 18 Chapter 4: Modern Social (Re)Construction……………………….................. 29 Chapter 5: Social Construction of ‘Urfi Marriage and the Media...................... 46 Chapter 6: Religious and State Responses to ‘Urfi……………….................... 62 Chapter 7: Social Consequences of ‘Urfi Marriage……………...……………. 70 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….. 75 Bibliography………………………………………………………................... 80 vii Introduction: “What is ‘Urfi Marriage?” The difficulty in defining ‘urfi marriage comes about because it is not just a question about defining marriage but also because it is an iconic representation of the struggle between disparate social, economic, and religious forces within Egyptian society—and ultimately between the haves and have-nots of Cairo today. ‘Urfi marriage should not be seen as an isolated phenomenon but, as emblematic of, the larger struggles within the society over wealth, social standing and mobility, adulthood, hereditary rights, social customs, religion, and sexual rights. Therefore, defining ‘urfi marriage is more complex than what it might at first seem. Furthering the difficulty in defining ‘urfi marriage stems from the fact that the varied segments within the Egyptian society have not yet settled on a definition of what constitutes an ‘urfi marriage. Since the social debate on defining ‘urfi marriage encodes an underlying struggle of growing numbers of Egyptians facing harsh economic realities or social situations that render them unable or unwilling to fulfill generally accepted contemporary religious and societal expectations surrounding the practice of marriage, it is therefore necessary to examine and define ‘urfi marriage, in its current incarnations, within the context of these larger issues. It is generally understood that modern ‘urfi marriages are “secret” marriages entered into by those who find it either impossible, or impractical, given their own 1 personal circumstances, to enter into a mainstream Islamic marriage. I was first introduced to this basic definition of ‘urfi marriage through discussions of the paternity lawsuit against Ahmed Al-Fishawy in my Egyptian Colloquial Arabic class at the Center for Arabic Study Abroad, in Cairo, in 2008. Later, I became inspired to begin research on this topic following my discussions on the meaning(s) of ‘urfi marriage with Egyptian young adults-many of whom would only talk about their experiences with ‘urfi marriage after months of friendship. But when they did, there seemed to be confusion regarding not only the definition and the criteria of Islamic ‘urfi marriages, as opposed to secret ‘urfi marriages, but also those of mainstream Islamic marriages. This finding corresponds to the numerous discussions on Islamic websites and blogs such as zawaj.com, islamonline.net, and islamqa.com which abound with questions from average Muslims to religious scholars and experts regarding the validity of civil and ‘urfi marriages, the conditions for Islamic marriages, the importance of the intention, the need for witnesses and the public declaration. However, the basic definition of ‘urfi marriage as a “secret” marriage is simply a starting step from which to begin this study and further explore the complexities of this evolving and multifaceted subject. Deeper examinations of the social changes proposed by various groups (encapsulated within the ideas, definitions, and practices of marriage) within the society are necessary to fully appreciate the variety and significance of what constitutes ‘urfi marriage. Change from what is perceived as traditional practice (thus “naturalized,” reified over time) is a locus of stress whether for societies, families, or even lone individuals. As the world changes around them, people’s perceptions of the 2 world change to fit their needs for survival. In turn, these changes affect their local practices, customs, and language. Therefore, it is little wonder that the spectrum of definitions for even the most basic aspects of human existence (such as marriage and procreation) become loci of struggle and distress. As the experiences of individuals shape their perceptions of history, tradition, and change, the collective experiences of those within a group likewise shape its perception of history, tradition, and change. If there is a perception of stability, equity, and success then change will often times meet the greatest resistance. If there is a perception that any, or all, of these things are missing then change will often not only be embraced but, often times, initiated. Therefore, in order to understand the phenomenon of ‘urfi marriage, it will be necessary to examine the dynamic relationships between those within Egyptian society that perceive a lack of stability, equity, and/or success and those who are comfortable within the status quo and resist change. For these